Your Other Project
by RoadwayFox
Summary: Jamie Loeb is Tony Stark's protégée. She has enough to worry about being the Avenger's personal shrink, Bruce Banner's bastie, and developing a memory drug. She really doesn't feel like hearing that Captain America needs her help in a "highly sensitive" case. Captain America\ The Avengers
1. Chapter 1

"You're no fun, Burton!" Jamie yelled as she tried to oped the door of her study.

"Sorry, what was that, Little J? I can barely hear ya." She could hear the smirk in his voice, her lips thinned as she imagined herself wiping it off.

When the door did not open and she could hear the archer's steps taking him away from where she was, Jamie produced a sigh and called out:

"Jarvis, could you open the door, please?"

"Agent Burton used one of his arrows to block it from the outside, Miss Loeb." She grimaced at this. "Would you like me to fetch someone to open it for you?"

"Yes, please." The young woman offered in a small voice.

She went over their conversation with the blonde agent again in her head and knew that she's pushed him. Pushed him enough to childishly run away and close her in her own study. Jamie let out a breath. And there she thought she'd gained his trust. _Not enough, apparently._

"Well well well..." There was a cracking voice from the now ajar-ed door that made Jamie make a face. "And the damsel is saved."

"Jarvis couldn't find anyone else to open the door, really?"

"He tried Pepper but come on!" Tony Stark in all his glory entered the room. "I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"I'm sure you wouldn't." Jamie commented dryly, not slightly amused by his enthusiasm.

"So trouble in paradise? I thought you had Robin Hood wrapped around your lil finger." The billionaire smirked.

The young woman collected the files from the glass table meanwhile and turned to leave, her companion on her heels.

"Should have known better." She said as they reached the elevator. "I pushed, he cracked under pressure. My fault."

"You don't seem phased." Stark stated as he pressed the top floor.

"I'm not." She smiled and pressed the button underneath his. "It's to be expected."

"But you are." Tony observed.

The woman in front of him everted her eyes slightly and chose to remain silent.

"You do know this is fine, right?" He finally said after drilling her with his intense stare. "This is Clint Burton we are talking about here. He kills people for leaving. I don't think he's ever had a shrink before. I'm pretty sure he doesn't know how to react."

"It's...super-nice, Tony, that you're trying to make me feel better but..."

"I'm not trying to make you feel better, Doctor Queen, you wouldn't be here if you weren't the best." Stark assured her in a cheerful voice but something told Jamie that he was honest. Honest the way only Stark could be. "And I am super-nice and super-hot...Oh, that's you. Say hi to Brucie for me."

At that the doors opened and Jamie left Tony for the transparent stairs that led to the lab, muttering something incoherent in the process, still down from what she considered a step back with Hawkeye.

"Cheer up, Doll!" She heard his last words before the elevator doors slide shut.

Dr. Bruce Banner was surrounded by the interactive screens of the most modern and technologically equipped lab in the world. He didn't notice her when she came in and plunged herself on the sofa in far end corner of the room. She watched him carefully. Jamie loved people-watching almost as much as almond and blueberry cupcakes but watching the other scientist work calmed her down.

"You're not here to Dr. Phil me again, are you?" His voice was soft and deep, and it made Jamie smile as she used one of her files to shield her face from the light.

"No, you're off the hook today." He heard her mutter.

"Are you impersonating Captain America part-time? Don't want to admit but Tony is kinda better at this." He chuckled.

"Ah...I'm truly hurt." She pointed at her heart using her other hand. "You wound me."

The good Doctor chuckled lightly and swiping a hand over the screen in front of him to get a picture of finalized data turned to his still unmoving companion.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't talk about it." Jamie muttered as she pulled herself up on her elbows.

"Oh, so Agent Burton finally pulled sprinter?" One side of his mouth curved into the smallest smirk.

"Who told?" Jamie fixed him with a glare. "Stark? When?"

"Relax. I know you had an appointment with Hawkeye, two and two really." He pulled his hands up in mock surrender.

"They don't call you doctor for nothing, do they!" Jamie sticked her tongue out at him, keeping her face childishly offended.

"Pfff...and gamma research has nothing to do with it." Bruce agreed.

"You're such a jokester." Jamie produced sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

Six months ago while in Calcutta if anyone would tell Bruce Banner that he'd be high-up in Stark Tower Lab bantering with one of the youngest Stark employees he would raise one eyebrow and use his index finger to slowly twist it near his temple.

Six months, a battle with aliens for New York, couple demi-gods and confrontation between himself and Hulk brought him here.

Bruce first met Jamie Loeb when she was emerging from the ruins of the previous Stark Tower when the Avengers won the battle with the Chatyuri's Army. She was there to assist Tony with his suit and saw him in his green form when he imprinted Loki into the floor.

_Hulk screamed when he felt that somebody else was in the room beside himself and the now-pancake-like god. Turning around he noticed a small blue-eyed woman clad in skinny jeans, red T-shirt and a dark-leather jacket. She was watching him curiously and then said:_

"_Hi, you must be Hulk. Sorry, I'm not shaking your hand, I'm not really sure you wouldn't crush mine in the process. I'm Jamie, I work for Tony. He said you'd be here to take care of the hot Asgardian asshole. Really nice to meet you, I'm kinda a fan now." _

_He was speechless. She was clearly waiting for a response. _

"_We could try that handshake though if that's an issue." As the small creature pouted her lips picturesquely, Bruce felt the green monster's heart melt. There were a few humans that could stand being in the same room when he was in his ...more enraged form. And neither of them would want to shake his hand. _

"You wanna talk about it?" Bruce asked as he took a place next to Jamie on the sofa.

"Not really." She answered as her thin legs flew up on their own accord and ended on his lap. "It's just super-multi discouraging. I'm a good shrink and to boot I develop drugs. Good drugs might I add...I should be able to shrink a bird."

That made Bruce laugh. It was a good laugh. The one he forgot he's had before he came to live in the Stark Tower.

"Clint saw awful things and did even worse, he won't always want to talk about them." He comforted as his hands fell on the young woman's legs. "The fact that he lets you inn even a little is a win."

"You can my shrink." She said happily after a small pause. "All shrinks need their own shrinks."

"Count on me." Bruce nodded and slid his glasses from his face and into the chest pocket of his shirt.

Almost all his shirts were purple. Jamie wondered why. Yeah, he probably liked the color but...all of them? Though she wasn't the one to complain. She loved the color. It calmed her. Come to think of it, like everything about Bruce. Bruce Banner was her official refuge bay.

Bruce never thought he could be that at ease with anyone ever since the Hulk showed up in his life. But there was something about Jamie that brought him (and Hulk!) the sense of belonging. Not with her but in this place, with this people. Jamie just became a buffer in this transition. She was smart (too much for her own good, Tony's words), caring, funny in her babbling sarcastic way, charming, and she was a scientist (which is a different level of smart in Bruce's books). It helped that she didn't treat him any different knowing about his green problem.

"How's the new drug going?" Bruce questioned to change the subject from her patient.

"It's good as far as I can tell but I need to test it...on people, hopefully." Her boney face was graced with a light grimace again.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "But as you can guess there are not many subjects out there with the memory loss that I need for the experimentation."

"BRUCIE!" The both occupants of the lab threw each other an identical look.

"Yes, Tony?" Bruce answered.

"Could you stop getting cozy with Little Loeb and get both your asses here! One-eye and Capcical are here. We need your...opinion."

"We're on our way." The other scientist was already on his feet ad helping the young doctor up.

"Oh, and could you drop by the kitchen and get me some yellow m&m's?"

"Kitchen is not on our way!" Jamie shouted into the intercom as Bruce dragged them in the direction of Tony's quarters.

Even from the outside both Jamie and Bruce could hear loud voices, Tony's irritation at Fury, Steve's irritation with Tony and the SHIELD Director irritated with the world in general.

"And the fun the fun just keeps being thrown my way today." Jamie commented, opening the door.

Bruce just silently followed her remaining quite.

"Welcome to the party, fellas, hope we didn't interrupt _anything_." Tony made sure to stress the last word.

"We were about to have sex on the lab table when you called." Jamie supplied, taking a place on the couch.

Steve's eyes widened, Bruce turned a shadow of tomato while Nick Fury just rolled one of his remaining eyes and did not comment.

Tony came closer, sizing both other scientists before saying:

"You're lying!"

"Am I?" The young woman didn't blink.

The staring match between them was interrupted by Bruce:

"She is! You said you needed our opinion?"

"Thank you, Doctor!" The Director said loudly, willing to change the subject.

"And where are my m&m's?" Tony whined.

"Four days ago Captain Rogers brought someone to SHIELD." Fury started explaining with voice that held finality.

"Are we allowed to know who?" Jamie intersected.

Director looked at the Captain for a second. Steve obviously caught his wind because next words were his.

"The Winter Soldier."

After the silence hanged in the air he added with grief and what Jamie believed was a barely detectable desperation:

"And I need you to save him."

_Oops..._He was looking straight at her.

_**-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-**_

_**SOOO, what do you think?**_

_**This is the a bit more of a Prologue than a first chapter but I just wanted to give you, guys, some minor setting so you could imagine Jamie, what she does, how she lives. Not a lot, mind you, but some starting point if you may.**_

_**Anywho, THANKS for joining! I'll try to post frequently and PLEASE REVIEW!**_

Yours, RoadwayFox


	2. Chapter 2

"O-okay...let me get this straight: you want me to help _the_ Winter Soldier who is actually your long-lost buddy from the WWII time to regain his memories that were suppressed by the serum that turned him into a superhuman and torturing of the Soviets and HYDRA. Am I covering everything so far?" Steve couldn't place the undertones of Jamie's voice as she summarized the conversation of the last twenty minutes, it was hard for him to interpret whether the young scientist was gravitating to accepting the offer or not.

Next words though were Tony's and there was no misunderstanding there: he did not like the idea in the slightest.

"Yeah, darling, they want to put you in the cage with the lion. How many people did this guy kill? O don't answer that! We're all disposable to SHIELD after all!"

He was loud and obnoxious as always but this time there was some distant despondency in the billionaire's voice.

"It's not like that..." Steve sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck with one of his calloused hands. "He..."

Director Fury was still to offer his input.

"He is...lost. He remembers pieces but they are too insignificant and too...far away. He wants to know who he was and doesn't want to be HYDRA's weapon anymore." Captain said firmly but words were wavering.

"This is ridiculous! Why don't you just put an apple in her mouth and serve her on a big plate with sprinkle of spices?" The genies almost yelled, gesturing with his hands.

"You're the one who's being ridiculous, Stark!" Steve was losing his patience, as it always was when his fellow avenger was involved. "Dr. Banner?"

"Sorry, Captain." Bruce who was standing at the window the whole time turned to the crew in the room. "I'm with Tony on this one. It's too dangerous."

"And Sticks here is not a SHIELD employee, may I remind you. She's Stark Industries' one. And I as her boss tell you that she's SUPER MOSTROUSLY busy at the moment and for years to come." Tony said determinedly.

Steve sighed again, greeting his teeth together.

"We know that, Mr. Stark." The Director finally said, his voice calm but full of authority. The authority he knew wouldn't help him at the moment. "That's why we are asking this as a favor."

"A favor to me." Captain looked at Jamie again.

She hasn't said a word yet. The young woman seemed to be deep in thought. She was listening, searching Steve's words, searching the Director's silence.

"Why me?" She asked at last just before Tony was about to throw one more tantrum.

"You're developing a memory drug. We think it could help." Fury answered, crossing his hands once more behind his back.

"Just the drug would not help because he's had too extensive memory fracture. He needs the therapy, he needs to speak and he needs something constant. In his case drugs are just a side-treatment." Jamie explained.

"Then treat him." Steve asked again, this time Jamie could clearly see how desperate he was.

She caught a sight of Bruce pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Try, Miss Loeb. You can always get out of it." The Director said. "Anytime."

"And I am the princess of England! He's lying. You can't honestly be considering this." Tony was standing in front of his protege as if shielding her from the two men who were trying to pursue her to help the ex-assassin.

"Tony.." He almost didn't want to turn and look at her because he already knew what was to follow.

"You can't honestly think about accepting." He did turn around eventually. "He's a deadly weapon."

"But he's also a man that needs help." She answered quietly but with certain determination. Then a slight one-sided smile appeared on her face. "I know some people that are...pretty deadly when they are angry. And I'm still proud to be their friend."

Tony shook his head. Then turned to look at Bruce who was in turn looking at the scene.

"Are you sure?" The good doctor asked.

Jamie nodded then added:

"Even if I was solely looking at this as a scientist: he is a damn challenging case."

Tony still wasn't happy but he knew that she's already made a decision.

"But I have some rules. First, SHIELD does not interrupt or control my therapy." Jamie looked straight at the older man.

"Granted. But we are keeping the Winter Soldier in the guarded area."

"No." The owner of the Tower said.

"Why..." Steve was about to counter him when Tony continued dismissing the soldier.

"He will be staying here. These are _my_ terms or I will not let _my_ scientist work with the subject. I will put him on one of the floors. He will be under my surveillance 24/7, and if I see him going Rambo even for a second, I will personally make sure to turn him into a puddle of melting ice with one of my new Ironman suit toys."

Steve and the Director shared a look.

"And I have Hulk." The billionaire added.

"Okay." Fury said curtly.

"Good." With that Tony left, slamming the door after him.

"We shall take our leave as well. Agent Hill will contact you about the time of transporting and will send over all the files essential for you on your patient." Director Fury informed Jamie and turned to the door Tony disagreed behind previously. "Dr. Banner."

"Director." Bruce acknowledged.

"Thank you, ma'am. I'm in your debt." Captain America told the young doctor.

"Don't thank me yet. It's a very long and possibly unsuccessful journey." She said softly, massaging her neck trying to relieve the stress from the face-off.

"You agreed to try. And for that I'm forever thankful."

He bowed and took his leave, nodding to Bruce on his way out.

"You are against this." Jamie stated as soon as she was sure they were alone with Bruce.

"I am." He confirmed.

She was about to say something but he didn't let her:

"But this is not about me. And not about Steve, or Tony. And probably this is not even about the Winter Soldier. It's about you. You've been craving for more lately. That's what we, scientists, always do: we want more."

He was right...as always. She did want more: more experience, more work, more different unlikely cases. She wanted to make the difference.

"I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into, kid." He finished with a sigh.

Jamie was silent for a while. Then she got on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek lightly.

"Thank you." She said with a small smile.

The young doctor left her friend to stay after that to go and find her overprotective boss.

The most important question being if he was too overprotective or if she was nuts getting herself in what she was sure was going to turn into one hell of a mess.

_**-/-/-/-/-**_

_**Sooooooo? Any suggestions\thoughts...anything? **_

_**I swear Bucky will show up next chapter!**_

_**RoadwayFox**_


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